There are many situations in which it may be desirable to open a closed door, but doing so may present a hazard to a person opening the door. For example:
police may wish to enter a building in which a gunman is hiding,
firemen may wish to enter a burning building, not knowing the intensity or pressure of the flames behind the door,
peace keepers may be searching for guerillas, not knowing whether doors are set to trigger explosives when opened, or
a first responder may be investigating a report of a gas leak in a building.
In each of these cases, it would be highly desirable to open the door from a safe distance away, from around a corner, or from behind a shield of some sort. There is currently no effective method or system for doing this.
There are simple tools that can be used to unlatch a door from a distance, ranging from specialized clamps to duct tape and rope. Once a door is unlatched there are also simple methods used to push the door open including using a long poll or a rope. However, none of these methods offer a safe and comprehensive solution that can be operated reliably and effectively from a significant distance away, or from around a corner.
Robots can also be used to unlatch and open doors at a safe distance, but they are expensive and generally slow to deploy. If a region has access to a robot at all, it may be stored a significant distance away from where it is required and it takes time to locate the qualified operator, deliver it to the site and set it up. In many tactical situations, there simply is not enough time for all of this to be done. Also, given the dedicated design of most robots, they simply may not be effective in all situations.
“Hook and line” systems are available for tactical purposes, but these systems are intended more for guiding explosive devices around corners and other structural obstacles, so that they can be drawn out of buildings from a safe distance. None of these “hook and line” systems include effective methods or systems for opening doors from a remote or safe location.
Thus, there is a need for a method of and system for tactical door opening which allows the user or first responder to be a safe distance away, around a corner, or behind a shield. It is desirable that this method and system be reliable, effective and relatively inexpensive in comparison to robots and the like. As the method and system is intended for tactical situations, it is also desirable that it be self-contained, portable and easily set up while wearing bulky protective gear.